Who Is The Narrator In The Fall Of The House Of Usher

Since the late twentieth century, American entertainment and the general public have been fascinated with the “unreliable narrator” story arc in movies and books. Films such as Fight Club and The Usual Suspects have wowed audiences with the realization that everything up to the moment of clarity has been a lie. Modern day books have also capitalized on this trend with The Girl on the Train being the most modern example. Countless hours and personal experiences tell the audience that the narrator is always right in his account of the events; however, when the audience finds out that they have been deceived, it is a genuinely surprising and enjoyable feeling. The twist puts the audience on the edge of their seats and pulls them deeper into the story. This love of uncertainty and vague feeling of uneasiness is one of the reasons many of Edgar Allan Poe’s short stories still resonate with audiences today. Such is the case for “The Fall of the House of Usher.” The narrator, who remains nameless throughout the work, visits his mentally unstable acquaintance Roderick Usher after
The narrator relates the story as fact; however, upon closer inspection the reader can determine that the narrator is not a reliable storyteller. Whether the story is a fabrication of his imagination or hysteria is affecting his senses, the story cannot be taken at face value. The tale exudes a feeling of uneasiness, and suggests to the reader that what is happening is not entirely true. The reader cannot exactly pinpoint what aspect is false without closer inspection, and that is the reason why “The Fall of the House of Usher” is considered one of Poe’s best works. By subtly undermining the legitimacy of the narrator, Poe forces his audience to question the speaker’s mental state and the truth surrounding the unnatural events of the